Abstract

The Ficus sycomorus bark tannin was extracted and characterized using Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Middle Infrared (ATR-FT MIR) spectra in the 1800 and 600 cm−1 range, Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionisation Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and Carbon-13 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (13C NMR) spectroscopy methods. Ficus sycomorus species have a very high percentage (46%) yield of tannin. These three characterization methods have shown that the Ficus sycomorus bark tannin is condensed and particularly a procyanidin type. It is composed of quercetin, apigenin, fisetinidin, catechin, gallocatechin, chalcone, radicinin, catechin gallate units with the presence of carbohydrates, quinone and gallic acid residues. The analysis results revealed that quercetin are the major constituents of Ficus sycomorus bark tannin. This procyanidin type tannin can give good wood adhesives.